Guidance and regulation

General binding rules for small sewage discharges from septic tanks or sewage treatment plants in England.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 2 October 2023

• General binding rules for small sewage discharges (SSDs) with effect from 2 October 2023

  This guidance sets out the statutory general binding rules which will…

Environment Agency enforcement position on temporary discharges of uncontaminated water from excavations to surface water without a water discharge activity permit.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 6 January 2023

• Temporary dewatering from excavations to surface water: RPS 261

  This regulatory position statement (RPS) does not change your legal…

How to comply with your permit, including maintenance, record keeping and pollution reporting requirements.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and 1 others
• Updated: 31 December 2014

Formerly part of M18, technical guidance for industrial plant operators (and their contractors) who monitor effluent discharges to water and sewer.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 18 May 2021

How to control intermittent storm discharges from combined sewer overflows and waste water treatment works, and minimise the risk of emergency sewage discharges from sewage pumping stations.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 13 September 2018

The T21 exemption allows you to recover wastes such as sewage grits, screenings and sewage sludge at a waste water treatment works.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 2 July 2021

Find out the compliance limits for waste water treatment works (WWTW), and how to treat and monitor discharges to meet permit conditions.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 17 January 2019

How the Environment Agency sets and assesses discharge quality numeric limits in environmental permits.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 17 January 2019

Tool to assist groundwater risk assessment for treated effluent discharges to infiltration systems.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 15 February 2022

The T20 exemption allows you to treat certain waste at water treatment works to reduce the volume for transport, or to make it easier to handle for waste recovery.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 28 April 2014

When you do not need a water abstraction licence from the Environment Agency for passive dewatering.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 10 December 2020

The monitoring certification scheme (MCERTS) standard that applies to event duration monitors.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 10 August 2022

Appeal to the Environment Agency if you have been refused connection to the public sewer.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 2 April 2014

Formerly part of M18, how to prepare and interpret analytical quality control (AQC) charts to verify the performance of your monitoring method.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 11 June 2020

Formerly part of M18, index of CEN and ISO monitoring methods for monitoring discharges to water.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 18 January 2023

Formerly part of M18, index of alternative monitoring methods for monitoring discharges to water.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 11 June 2020

Environment Agency regulatory position on when you can temporarily discharge water intended for drinking water supply to surface waters from water treatment works and water supply assets.

• From: Environment Agency
• Updated: 17 April 2024